The Threats to Homeschooling: From Hitler to the NEA

All American Blogger ^ | 8-11-08 | Duane Lester

[Bodhi1]

In 1937, Hitler ordered all German children into the government schools. He said:

"The Youth of today is ever the people of tomorrow. For this reason we have set before ourselves the task of innoculating our youth with the spirit of this community of the people at a very early age, at an age when human beings are still unperverted and therefore unspoiled. This Reich stands, and it is building itself up for the future, upon its youth. And this new Reich will give its youth to no one, but will itself take youth and give to youth its own education and its own upbringing."

Homeschooling was officially outlawed in Germany. Hitler wanted the state to have total control over the education of the nation's youth. He knew that they were the key to his success, the key to a totalitarian rule.

Today in Germany, decades after his death, parents are being persecuted for homeschooling. The German government is still enforcing Hitler's laws. And they are once again becoming more aggressive in their methods of enforcement...

Homeschooling is a growing trend in America, "growing at 7 to 12 percent annually, with perhaps more than 2 million students being taught at home." What is the reason for this? Homeschool dad Benjamin Marshall sums it up best:

"We wanted to be the main and driving influence in our children's lives."

As do a majority of homeschoolers. The problem is that there are many who want that title, and are willing to destroy your right to educate your child to get it. Hitler said, “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.” That is still true today. It makes you wonder why some fight so hard for ownership of today's youth. Or, maybe it makes it even clearer.

[ExTexasRedhead]

The Childrens’ Story by James Clavell

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/llefler/clavell.htm

[damondonion]

At some point and soon, if anything other than liberalism and the democrat party is to survive in this country, there has to be a serious and major rebellion against the state monopoly on education.

[EdReform]

Ping

[Sopater]

"We wanted to be the main and driving influence in our children's lives."

As a parent who recognizes that ultimately we are to be held totally responsible for what our children are taught, regardless of who does the teaching, I concur 100%.

[Onelifetogive]

From Hitler to the NEA

That's a pretty short trip...

[PurpleMan]

Reductio ad Hitlerum

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[snowrip]

From the article:

In March of this year, a California court essentially outlawed homeschooling in the state. Justice H. Walter Croskey of the Second District Court of Appeal said, “California courts have held that … parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children.”

He continued, “Parents have a legal duty to see to their children’s schooling under the provisions of these laws.” Why, in the court’s eyes, was it necessary to send children to public school rather than educating them at home? Justice Crosky cryptically explained:

“A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare,”

Compare what a judge in modern day California said with what the Nazi Minister of Education, Bernard Rust said in 1935:

Teachers are directed to instruct their pupils… and to awaken in them a sense of their responsibility toward the community of the nation.